FDA Intensifies Crackdown on Unapproved Online Medicine Advertisements to Protect Public Health

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) of Ghana has announced a significant intensification of its monitoring activities aimed at curbing the unauthorized advertisement and sale of unapproved medicines across online platforms. Speaking at the FDA’s 2025 Annual Stakeholders Meeting in Accra, the Authority highlighted a concerning trend where traders, often without physical business locations, utilize digital marketing to bypass traditional regulatory checks. This move signals a proactive stance by the regulator to protect public health in an increasingly digitized marketplace.

Deputy CEO of the FDA, Gayheart Mensah, emphasized that all food and drug advertisements must receive pre-approval from the Authority before being broadcast or published. He noted that the shift of commercial activities to digital platforms poses unique challenges for regulators who must now track decentralized marketing efforts. To address this, the FDA is actively monitoring both traditional media—such as radio and television—and digital channels to identify and stop unauthorized promotional content. The surge in online-only traders has necessitated a more agile regulatory approach to ensure that the products being marketed to the Ghanaian public meet stringent safety and efficacy standards.

In terms of enforcement, the FDA is currently developing comprehensive guidelines specifically tailored to regulating online advertisements. While the Authority plans to implement administrative fines for entities found in violation of these standards, full enforcement on social media platforms is still being finalized. This transitional phase involves refining the legal framework to effectively capture the nuances of social media marketing and ensure accountability. Moving forward, the FDA’s strategy involves closer collaboration with stakeholders to ensure that the digital evolution of commerce does not compromise the health and safety of consumers.